Antidepressants May Cause Antibiotic Resistance

From Medical Xpress: “A key ingredient in common antidepressants such as Prozac could be causing antibiotic resistance, according to new University of Queensland research.

A study led by Dr Jianhua Guo from UQ’s Advanced Water Management Centre focused on fluoxetine, a prescription drug used to help people recover from depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder or eating disorders.

Dr Guo said while overuse and misuse of antibiotics is generally considered the major factor contributing to the creation of ‘superbugs’, researchers were often unaware that non-antibiotic pharmaceuticals could also cause antibiotic resistance.”

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‘It has previously been an invisible factor in the spread of antibiotic resistance, but we should consider this a warning.

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